Baling-press.



PATBNTED APR. 2, 1907.

W. E. TATE. 'BALING PRESS. A1 LIOATION FILED DEO.1, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR.

W1 TNESSES A TTOR/VE Y5 WILLIAM EL'BERT TATE, OF WEATHERFORD, TEXAS.

BALING'rPRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed December 1, 1906. Serial No. 345,873.

To all 1071,0177, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ELBERT TATE, a citizen of the United States, residing at INeatherford, in the county of Parker and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Bailing-Press, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to baling-presses of that type disclosed in the United States Letters Patent No. 738,957, granted to me on the 15th day of September, 1903, in which a screw-operated double-acting plunger compresses the bales alternately in compressingchambers at opposite ends of the machine.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of baling-presses of this character, so as to be thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation and relatively inexpensive to construct and keep in order.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient driving mechanism whereby the plunger is reciprocated by a prime mover adapted to rotate continuously in one direction.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of the plunger so as to provide a strong and substantial structure in which the heads are rigidly braced.

I/Vith these objects in view and others, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a horizontal longitudinal section of the press, showing the driving mechanism for the plunger-screw in plan, one end of the frame of the machine being broken away. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the central portion of the machine. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the frame of the machine, which is of any ap proved construction, preferably in the form of a tube of substantially square or rectangular cross-section throughout its length and forming at its ends the compression-chambers 2. At the center of the frame 1 are a pair of spaced transverse partitions or bulkheads 3,

which are firmly bolted in place in the frame.

These partitions are provided with openings as thrust-blocks for the sprocket-wheel 6,

which serves as a nut for'reciprocating the plunger-screw 9. The partitions are held in place by bolts 10, that extend horizontally through the frame 1 and partitions, as shown in Fig. 1, and also by the longitudinal bolt 1 1, that extends horizontally from one partition to the other.

The compressing-plunger is located at the middle of the machine and comprises spaced heads 12, located on opposite sides of the two partitions 3 and proportioned to reciprocate freely in the compression-chambers 2. The top ends of the plunger-heads 12 are connected by a top plate 13, that forms a shield for covering one mouth of the hopper, while the plunger is moving in one direction on its compressionstroke. The lower ends of the plunger-heads 12 are permanently held in fixed relation by the horizontal rods 14, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The ends of these rods extend through the plunger-heads and are threaded to receive the nuts 15, one nut being arranged to engage on each side of the plunger, as shown. The partitions 3 are provided with openings 16 slightly larger than the rods 14, so that the latter can pass freely back and forth therein during the reciprocation of the plunger. By means of the top plate 13 and rods 14 the plungerheads are maintained in relatively fixed position, so that the screw 9 is relieved from a buckling strain. To insure easy running of the plunger, each head is provided with a pair of roll ers 17, that run back and forth on the floor of the frame 1. Each pair of rollers is mounted on a short transverse shaft 18, that journals in bearings 19, extending from the inner surface of the plunger-head.

I The mechanism for rotating the screw-actuating nutv 6 alternately in opposite directions comprises a horizontal shaft 20, journaled on horizontally-extending arms 21, projecting from the rear side of the frame 1, and a sprocket-chain 22, which meshes with the sprocket-wheel 23 on the shaft 20 and the sprocket-wheel 24 on the nut '6. On the shaft 20 are a pair of loose pulleys 25 and a TIC fixed pulley 26 between them and keyed to the shaft 20. The pulley 26 is driven alternately in opposite directions by a straight belt 27 and a cross-belt 28, which belts are alternately shifted from the loose pulleys to the fixed pulley The belts are driven from any suitable source of power, such as a traction-engine, which may operate continuousl in one direction. Operating 111 conjunction with the belt transmission is an automatic belt-shifting device, which includes a beltshipper 29, having the wire yokes 30, that extend over the belts 27 and 28, and connected to one end of the belt-shipping rod 29 is a lever 31, fulcrumed 011 one of the arms 21 and connected at its inner end with a longitudinally-movable actuating-rod 32. The free end of the rod 29 is slidably mounted in the bracket 33 on the arm 21 opposite from that carrying the lever 31. The actuatingrod 32 is moved by means of a finger 34, projecting laterally from one of the plunger-heads l2 and through a horizontal slot 35 in the rear wall of the frame 1. The finger 34 moves back and forth between two spaced depending stops or arms 36 on the actuating-rod 32, so as to alternately engage the said stops and impart a slight longitudinal movement thereto successively in opposite directions. This movement of the actuating-rod32 is transmitted through the lever 31 to the belt-shipper 29, so that the belts 27 and 28 are alternately moved into operative relation with the pulley 26, thereby rotating the nut 6 successively in opposite directions and causing the plunger to move back and forth. The end of the actuating-rod 32 opposite from that connected with the lever 31 is slidably mo-Lmted in a bracket 37, extending from the rear side of the frame 1. To yieldingly hold the belt-shipping device in one position or the other, a stop is employed which comprises a spring-pressed device embodying in the present instance a leaf-spring 38, supported on the rear side of the frame 1 at 39 and provided with spaced ofi'sets or corrugations 40 at its free end, in which the roller 41 engages alternately, so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the actuating-rod 32, on which the roller is mounted. The spring 38 is of such tension and the pockets formed by the corrugations 40 are so shaped that the roller 41. can pass out of one and into the other with freedom as not to obstruct the movement of the actuating-rod 32, due to the finger 34 engaging the members 36 on the said rod.

truss-rods the middle part of the frame 1 is reinforced at a point where the greatest strain is concentrated, due to the operation of the plunger. Furthermore, the truss-rods hold the frame in proper position and prevent bulging, so that freedom of movement of the plunger without binding is insured.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily un derstood. The press is of strong and substantial construction, so as to successfully withstand the various strains, and the plunger is reciprocated through a powertransmitting mechanism which includes a revers ing device, so that a prime mover driving in only one direction may be used.

1 have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is clearly illustrative and that various changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims.

WVhat is claimed is- 1. In a baling-press, the combination with a suitable frame having compressing-chambers at opposite ends, an intermediatelyarranged pocket for discharging the material into the compressing-chambers, plunger heads mounted to operate in the respective chambers, a top plate rigidly secured to the upper ends of the plunger-heads and serving as a cut-off for controlling the discharge of material from the hopper to the compressingchambers alternately, and operating as a spacing member for the upper portions of the plunger-heads, longitudinal tension-rods having threaded ends extending into the plunger-heads, and nuts on the said threaded ends arranged at the inner and outer sides of the plunger-heads for adjusting and securing the latter in parallel relation,'of an operating screw having its ends adapted to cooperate with the inner sides of the respective plungerheads at points intermediate the said top plate and tension-rods, and means cooperating with said screw for reciprocating th'e plunger heads.

2. In a baling-press, the combination with a suitable frame having compressing-chambers at opposite ends, a hopper at the middle of the frame for discharging material alternately into the respective compressingchamber, an operating-nut ournaled on relatively fixed portions of the frame, a screw cooperating with said nut, plunger-heads arranged at the ends of said screw, and driving means for imparting forward and reverse movement to said nut, of mechanism arranged to be operated to limit the stroke of the plunger-heads and cooperating with said driving means for alternately reversing the direction of rotation of said nut, and a device operating automatically for yieldingly iIO retaining the driving means in condition to operate the plunger-heads in each direction until they reach the ends of their strokes.

3. In a baling-press, the combination of a frame, a reciprocating element therein, a nut and screw for reciprocating the element, arms supported on one side of the frame, a shaft mounted on the arms, a sprocket-and chain driving device between the shaft and nut, fixed and loose pulleys on .the shaft, straight and reverse belts engaging the pulleys, a belt-shipper, a lever mounted on one of the arms and connected with the shipper, a longitudinally-movable member mounted on the frame and connected with the lever, means on the element arranged to actuate the rod adjacent the end of each stroke, and a stop device for holding the rod stationary during the period the said means is idle.

4. In a baling-press, the combination of a frame, a reciprocating element therein, a nut and screw for reciprocating the element, arms supported on one side of the frame, a shaft mounted on the arms, a sprocket-andchain driving device between the shaft and nut, fixed and loose pulleys on the shaft, straight and reverse belts engaging the pulleys, a belt shipping rod, a bracket on one of the arms on which the free end of the said rod is slidably mounted, a lever on the other arm with which the rod is connected, a longitudinally-movable member connected with the lever and guided on the frame, a pair of spaced stops on the member, a finger on the said element arranged to engage the stops to impart movement to the member, a leaf spring secured to the frame at a point adj acent the member, roller-engaging pockets at the outer end of the spring, and a roller mounted on the said member to alternately engage in one or the other of the pockets.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM ELBERT TATE. WVitnesses N. S. TANT, R. W. DAVIS. 

